Southwest Alberta transmission line in service

A new 90-kilometre transmission line between Pincher Creek and Lethbridge Alberta is now in service, providing transfer capacity for another 1000 MW of wind energy. "Albertans tells us that increasing access to more renewable energy is important, and we are proud to provide that connection," says Scott Thon, CEO of Altalink, which built and will operate the line.

Green energy park in Saskatoon continues to move forward

Saskatoon Light & Power, an electric utility in the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan stated at a public meeting last night that they hope to begin construction on a green energy park at the city Landfill in summer 2011.

Kevin Hudson, an engineer with Saskatoon Light & Power noted that the response was supportive overall.

The next step is to take a final report to City Council for approval which will happen in December 2010.

The plans include a methane gas recovery project, a turboexpander project, which takes energy from excess heat, and a tall wind turbine project which was launched last April.

Saskatoon Light & Power is in a unique position to become a renewable energy leader in a province otherwise controlled by SaskPower, the monopoly provincial utility and the green energy park is certainly an important project in this regard.

Solar PV projects moving forward in Saskatchewan

Today marked another step in Regina, Saskatchewan based Namerind Housing Corporation's quest to becoming a self-sustaining organization - this time in the area of environmental sustainability. By installing solar Photovoltaic (Pv) and solar thermal technology on all multi-dwelling units, Namerind will vastly reduce their reliance on fossil fuels over the 25 to 30 year life cycle of the systems.

"Though there is of course an initial cost to installing this new technology in our properties, the long term benefits - both environmental and financial - will far outweigh that investment," said Robert Byers, President and CEO of Namerind. "We are very excited to be announcing our use of this innovative technology as part of our continued commitment to bettering the community we serve."

The solar thermal technology will be installed from October through December 2010 and will immediately start providing solar power and heat energy. This project is the second largest of its kind ever to be undertaken in Saskatchewan.

"With the use of this technology, we are not only adding cost-efficient, clean power to the grid, we are also making a long-term investment in our multi-dwelling units, including our office and our mall," said Byers. "This project is one of many ways that Namerind has diversified in order to provide affordable housing in Regina within a self-sustained model."

The solar thermal technology makes use of otherwise unused space on the roof of each property and will provide an immediate, clean source of power and heat energy. For example, at the six properties with installation in 2010, the solar technology will replace an equivalent of 28,392 litres of gasoline annually, also providing 66.4 tons of Green House Gas (GHG) reduction.

Developers are now starting to realize the potential of solar in Southern Saskatchewan which receives more hours of sunshine annually than any part of Canada.

Newfoundland and Nova Scotia strike $6.2 billion CAD hydro deal

The premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia today announced a $6.2 billion CAD deal to develop the Lower Churchill hydroelectric megaproject.

The details of the deal for the Lower Churchill project follow below:

Development cost: $6.2 billion
Size: 834 megawatts
Jobs: 2,700 at peak; 120 permanently
Share of assets: Nalcor 51% and Emera 49%
Contract term: 35 years
Requiring: Ratification of Innu Nation land claim
Sought: Federal loan guarantee; $375 million toward subsea link
What Nalcor will pay for subsea link in 2045: $1

Emera (Nova Scotia) will receive about 20% of that energy for itself, and in return is paying for the construction of the underwater link. Nalcor (Newfoundland and Labrador), which is reserving 40% of the power for its own use, will raise $4.4 billion to pay for its share.

The deal still leaves undeveloped the 2,200 megawatt potential of the Gull Island site on the Churchill River, which has been on blueprints since the 1970s.

GE to supply 55 turbines for Suncor wind project in Alberta

GE Energy has received an order from Suncor Energy, Inc. for 55 units of GE’s advanced 1.6 MW wind turbines for installation at the Wintering Hills project in Alberta. The 88 MW Wintering Hills project is located near Drumheller, approximately 78 miles northeast of Calgary. GE will begin deliveries of the turbines to the site beginning in the second quarter of 2011. The project is owned jointly by Suncor (70%) and Teck Resources (30%).

Canadian business leaders call for clean energy leadership from the government

The Canadian Council of Chief Executives, otherwise known as the CCCE, this week released Clean Growth 2.0: How Canada can be a Leader in Energy and Environmental Innovation, that propose turning Canada into an "environmental superpower" and "an energy and resource powerhouse."

The CCCE want a "road map that provides clarity and predictability," with key sectors of the economy -- government, industry, stakeholders -- all pulling in the same direction set by "smart" policy. Such policy would include a national energy strategy, a nationwide carbon tax, subsidized investment in technology, and mass government indoctrination to force lifestyle changes, including programs to "get more people out of their cars and using public transit, car-pooling, cycling and walking."

For Canada to get to "superpower status", the CCCE paper calls for a new Canada-US agreement on energy and climate. The paper says it is now time to build on what already exists by forging a new energy agreement that aims to ward off U.S. protectionism and bring Canada into some form of policy harmonization with the United States.

Copies of the paper are available on the CCCE’s website, at www.ceocouncil.ca.